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Germany: Pop singer Melanie Müller fined for Hitler salute

August 23, 2024

The former reality TV star was found guilty of repeatedly making the illegal gesture at a right-wing concert in eastern Germany. She denies that is what she was doing, saying she was just firing up the crowd.

https://p.dw.com/p/4jri2
A headshot of a woman with short, bleach-blonde hair and a neck tattoo (German reality TV personality and singer Melanie Müller)
Melanie Müller says she has no sympathies for nationalist or right-wing ideologiesImage: Jan Woitas/dpa/picture alliance

The Leipzig District Court on Friday fined Melanie Müller, a former reality TV personality turned pop singer, €80,000 ($89,000) for illegal behavior at a September 2022 concert in the city, as well as for the possession of drugs.

Video recordings of the event show Müller repeatedly raising her right arm in a gesture reminiscent of the so-called Hitler salute during a Leipzig concert for a crowd with right-wing ties.

Despite defense claims that Müller has no right-wing sympathies or views, Judge Lucas Findeisen found her guilty of "using the symbols of unconstitutional or terrorist organizations" when delivering his verdict.

Müller was also sentenced for possession of cocaine and ecstasy. The fine dramatically exceeded the €5,700 penalty requested by prosecutors.

The defense, which asked for an acquittal, said Müller was simply pumping her fist and chanting in order to stoke crowd enthusiasm.

Judge claims singer knew what she was doing 

Still, Judge Findeisen said video seen by the court clearly showed that Müller had embraced the mood of the crowd and played along by changing her hand gesture and engaging in a call and response game that echoed Nazi chants of "Sieg," "Heil," with Müller chanting "Zicke," and the crowd responding with "Heil" (hail).

The singer also said that drugs found in a search of her apartment belonged to a friend, a claim the court rejected.

Müller's lawyer claimed negative media bias had harmed her career and had hoped an acquittal would help his "client regain her [financial] footing in Germany."

Melanie Müller, who gained notoriety in Germany by winning reality TV shows like "Jungle Camp" and "Big Brother," used to perform regularly in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Mallorca — a Spanish island popular with hard-drinking German tourists.

Asked by the judge about her current tour bookings, Müller replied: "Now I only have gigs in Mallorca. Everything else is gone." 

The verdict is not yet final and may be appealed. 

Scholz: 'Right-wing extremists are attacking our democracy'

js/rmt AFP, dpa)